[Mari]

" . . . " ...Schezo was truly a lost cause. But whom had lost him? How many years had he spent living like this? How had he lived like this? If he'd been mortal, he would have died without ever finding purpose. ...A long moment's of thought later, Raffina came to a conclusion. It was Schezo who had lost himself. The path forward became clear. They could not worry about a dynasty or legacy before Schezo had even found himself. Itb ecame clear that Raffina was dealing with a teenager, not the old man that Schezo's actual age would have made him out to be. "...Do you ever think back to when you ran away from your family? From your friends? ...Do you ever wonder what it would have been like if you'd stayed and tried to continue living with them?" Raffina would ask rather softly after the moment of silence had passed. "I ask because... there might be a couple of ways we can find out." Raffina would go on to offer somewhat hesitantly. It was a grand quest she was suggesting. They'd need to grab whatever phenomenon had propelled them through time and space so many times and force it to do their bidding if they were to undergo it, a task that Raffina couldn't even begin to comprehend. "It won't be easy, but it might be one of the only ways to heal the wounds caused by your departure. ...Unless... Unless you'd rather go back to school with me and resume where you left off. I'd like to believe that Ms. Accord might understand."

[Rina]

"I......"

Schezo fell silent. The past he ran away from, the past he didn't want to think about because it'd hurt him, he thought so little of it, he got lost in his own world. As it stands now, his age is just a number and nothing else. He's more or less a child eternal, running away from his problems, not wanting to deal with them. So when Raffina asked him about them, he had to think deeply on it. He shut his eyes, trying to visualize his family and friends. A couple of moments passed, and he hesitantly answered her question.

"In truth...I'm fearful of doing so. When I consider the other possibilities, I sense dread...hate... What will they think of me if they learned I am in possession of taboo arts? It shakes me to my core, so I try to repress them. It's true that I miss their warmth, but I feel my heart shall remain distant. I also feel that wallowing in my past will hamper my ability to look forward."

The dark wizard sighed, feeling shaken he answered that way. He didn't look at her in the eyes after that, but the fact she has some clue on how to find his way again does keep him engaged.

"...What is it that you wish to tell me that'd help find my purpose?"

[Mari]

Raffina watched Schezo quietly as he spoke, as was proper. As much as she wished he would face the future with dignity, she wasn't exactly surprised that he was struggling a bit. As for her plans, though, it was as good of a question as any. Unfortunately going back in time was ...How unrealistic was that again? Really now, it wasn't that unrealistic now that she thought about it. The dangers involved with traveling to the distant past and messing with it were definitely real, however. They could change the present, or worse create an alternate reality from which they could never return. She'd read enough bad fiction to know not to mess with time travel. Especially not to chase some hunk who died but the story would be over if he did so you kinda had to go get him but then he's never the same--....One gets a picture. "Perchance, have you ever heard of the mirages? Miss Arle has relayed to me a strange underlying reality beyond it all. Apparently her mother was able to contact her from inside the portal." Raffina offered, considering their options for making use of this information. "If we could find a way to repurpose that phenomenon for our own needs, we might be able to create a portal to a mirage of your world and get you the closure you need.." Raffina went on to muse aloud. A mirage wasn't real, so in a way it was safe! The real people would never knew, as they were likely already dead. If they could just ... create their own mirage somehow, they could do whatever they wanted! "...When you left them--Your family and friends. It was as if you'd put your normal life behind you. That's the ultimate reason you feel so lost, isn't it? Society didn't get a chance to finish tempering you! So perhaps all you need is a newer, more accepting world to integrate back into to find your way again. We could resume and finish your education; you could make new friends, experience all the things you missed." Raffina went on to offer.

[Rina]

That certainly rings a bell. She has certainly caught his attention with acknowledging the Mirage Portal's presence, as it was seemingly visible to only a select few.

"Mirages? You speak of The Portal, do you not?"

Heck, that one she was talking about was indeed one he has explored in the past!

"The one you speak of in particular is one I have traversed. In truth, I have also spoken to the illusory mother of Arle, and can safely state that while it may be a recreation, they are able to produce something that is tangible and can be taken out."

And to prove it, Schezo rummaged through to hold out what appears to be a magical cloak. While it was mainly intended for Arle herself, the cloth is the right size for someone like him. To the touch, it has a certain warmth to it. A familial warmth. He didn't feel worthy to wear it due to how special it is, but he held onto it just to remind himself of his own family...

"If the portal can certainly change to that of my home land...then I would certainly put my internal struggles to rest. I admit to worrying for the worst, but as long as I attain answers, I will pull through. But..."

As he put away the cloak, he began to wonder...what was his home land called? The name has been lost to time, as his home was a town 100 years preceding Madou Village. If he could remember what it was like...then by some silly coincidence or pandering from some god, he might see it one more time...

"...I feel the gods will not listen to my pleas, no matter how much I pray, curse, bemoan, or idly speak of it. I cannot remember its name, but I do remember something ever so fondly. Even if I am left unanswered, my home land is where the white crowea exalata bloom. Just seeing that flower once more will be enough."

[Mari]

Raffina hesitantly reached out to gently inspect the craftsmanship of the cloak by laying a hand upon it, feeling the fabric. ...What an adorable cloak! Very cute. It was distinctly not of her world, but she couldn't deny that it had a certain ... handcrafted charm to it? Oddly enough, it made her fingers tingle when she touched it, her hand bursting into a very small holy flame at the touch. It wasn't quite painful so to speak, creating an awkward moment where Raffina stared at her burning hand without acknowledging what looked quite terrible. However, the flames would soon go out and her hand seemed to be fine in spite of the display. Perhaps it was an unfortunate side effect of having very recently allowed an incredibly evil force to inhabit her body? It seemed like the cloak was attacking whatever unholy residue had been left on her person but had not deigned to burn Raffina herself. It raised questions about just how safe the cloak was for Schezo to be touching like that. Why wasn't it burning him?, or at least creating a similar display..? Perhaps the nature of his corruption was simply too deeply hidden inside of him for the cloak to react to. Disregarding what had just happened, a very curious Raffina listened to Schezo's request and offered him a bright smile in turn. "...Then I believe we've found our new mission. I'll do what I can to help you see those flowers and more, Schezo. ...I know of a mirage person that once exited the mirage portal intact. If anyone or anything can provide a lead on how to manipulate it, perhaps it's her! I should seek her out and get her to visit Ms. Accord with me. That way we can get a better idea of what to do next." Raffina offered, making a point to imply that she would be helping Schezo with this mission. It was a very weird thing to offer, what with the war and the famine and all the likely more important things going on than Schezo's own personal problems. However, Raffina seemed to put him riiiiight smack dab above those things on her list of priorities. One could only fathom a guess as to why. Regardless, they had a game plan. Now all that was left to do was execute it.

[Rina]

Schezo observed as she gingerly inspected the pristine cloak. Well, he didn't even use it at all, of course it wouldn't have any sort of damage on it! Oddly enough, upon contact, an ethereal flame sparked, as if the cloak exuded an aura of purity. One that is strong enough to warrant the reaction Raffina had. This does bring up a question: Why doesn't Schezo burst in flames? Wouldn't the dark wizard would practically self-immolate due to how in-tune with the darkness he is? Is there still some pureness in his heart in spite of it? Or is his corruption not all that pronounced? Whichever it is, the cloak doesn't seem to pick up on his darkness at all. Is her tampering with a dark spirit enough to do that, then? The thought continued to sit in the back of his mind. Cloak thoughts aside, the fact Raffina has an idea on how to replicate a world he described widened his eyes. Can this person try to recreate the world where the white exalata bloom?

"A being from the mirage world, wandering these grounds right now? I can accept material objects, but people can wander away from that world? I suspected there would be a force preventing such an action. But if she could allow me to see the land once more..."

A wistful smile? A smile in general from this man is rare. With the opportunity to let his regrets go and press forward presented to him, he felt as if his life can turn around.

[Mari]

Raffina considered this for a long moment. She was well familiar with the ... problems Amitwo had experienced escaping from the mirage portal even after she'd gained sentience. They weren't exactly subtle when you more or less lived with the construct. She couldn't have known that her relationship with Amitwo was going to become more strained than ever in the near future... "Well said. With a bit of help and some time to travel this unbeaten path, I'm sure we'll be successful! All we have to do is keep at it." Raffina reassured the other, apparently quite confident in her plan. She was a rather romantic person, and that translated cleanly to a bit of arrogant optimism when it came to matters of love and faith. The truth was, she barely knew where to start other than asking a few questions and hoping for the best. "...That being said, I do wish to return to school some time. I admit to finding myself a bit lost in this world. And you know what they say about idle hands and idle minds." Raffina went on to admit. She herself had found it very difficult to integrate on Li. She had the luxury of being babied by Peach, but without that she wasn't entirely sure what she would have done. Would someone else have come looking for her if she just ... wound up on the streets?

[Rina]

He nodded, the plan now set.

"If we could harness that ability, then I will be able to move on from my regrets."

Overconfident or not, a little assurance goes a long way in pursuing a goal. Schezo tends to stay grounded with his expectations and expects the worst, outcome when putting things into action. Still, The lead was there, and if Raffina can't find a path, but damn if Schezo wouldn't just let it go; he's going to see that through! If anything, he's not that willing to give up in spite of it. Moving away from the mirage talk, there was that feeling of homesickness too. Yeah, while the sphere is nice and all, the rest of the world is so dreary. Now that he thought about it, he took the peaceful, lush lands of Primp Town for granted.

"I suppose that is a natural mindset. I may have lived in a world with a distant history and stories that transcend comprehension, that world certainly is better off than this one."

[Mari]

"...To be honest, it's all a little much for me. They give us houses, but I am not ready to keep my own home. And this war... I am not a soldier. I feel so unprepared for all of this, as if I would be better off staying here in the Life Sphere where I am safe than trying to ...save the world. What are the odds that someone like me could actually accomplish such a thing..? It makes me wonder how Ms. Accord is handling it." Raffina would muse aloud somewhat anxiously, voicing her frustrations with the way of things. They really needed a school here. Was there even a growing population, or had the normal way of life been disrupted badly enough that no such thing existed? "...This, however, is a practical problem. I feel more comfortable helping you with this. Will you let me ask you one more question, Schezo? ...Are you ready to begin?" Raffina went on to explain and ask, drawing her mind away from her anxiety. The next step was, of course, to find her teacher and gather everyone they needed in the right place.

[Rina]

"It is quite the shock being thrust into circumstances on your own. When you've live in your homeland for as long as you remember, you begin to realize how starkly different worlds from outside are. I had the same revelation at the age of 14..."

Certainly, people handle differently than others. To Raffina, it feels much like culture shock, coming from a town that is as close to paradise as it can get. Her plan to bring together the first step of the plan brought the dark wizard's attention, for it'll be necessary to bring it into motion. He nodded, readily able to listen to her once more, stowing away the cloak he had for safekeeping.

"Do tell me. What is it that you wish to ask of me?"

[Mari]

For a moment, Raffina was lost in the conversation. She hadn't even considered any resemblance between Schezo and her situations until just that moment. Suddenly it clicked for her. Even if it hadn't been her choice to leave home and get involved in dark magics, Raffina couldn't help but muse aloud that she was probably going through some of the same hardships Schezo had when he'd first left home. ...Give or take some key differences, of course, but still. After her long moment of surprise wore off, Raffina was decidedly left in a good, if not slightly bashful mood. " . . . Well--I look at a house and I just see so many things that need maintaining. I don't know where to go to furnish it, and I'm used to having money for nicer things... But now I need to have a job for that, but the economy in the Life Sphere is ... terrible. No one is hiring, and most places haven't even adopted a currency. They want items, and I loathe to admit it but I don't think I'm strong enough to face the evils of this world. I'm overwhelmed at every turn, is what I'm saying." Raffina would admit, a tinge of softness to her tone. "...I've been staying with Princess Peach in the meantime. She seems to take pity on me, at least. She may not know much of our world's magic, but she makes sure that I have a home to return to and puts aside time to help me when I need it." the pinkette went on to explain. She wasn't living independently, but she was at least taken care of.

[Rina]

He waited. He waited for response as she paused in place. The smile on her face intrigued him. What was she content about? He was curious as to what left her in a good mood, listening intently to what she has to say. There wasn't a question, but she did reminisce about something that positively influenced her. Another sort of home with a princess? My, that sounds quite the treatment. As if he knew what it'd be like living in a castle.

"Now that you bring light to that, this shelter has no semblance of an economy, mainly relying on bartering for commerce. And no matter how weak or strong we are, this evil that looms over us all will rear its ugly head at any time unless we fight back. It is daunting to think we are made to retaliate, and living normally is now but a distant dream, but is there any other choice we have?"

Schezo cleared his throat, attempting to retain his bearings. It is scary to think that anyone could die at any turn, but Schezo has lived this way much longer that she has. He's certainly more hardened than her.

"As for who is your caretaker, she must be a very kind-hearted one."

[Mari]

" . . . Well, the starvia doesn't seem like it enjoys talking out its problems--So I suppose not." Raffina would reply in a light-hearted tone in response to Schezo's question, lifting an arm in a helpless shrug. If only there were some nuance they could exploit to ease tensions in this war, but alas it seemed hopeless. They were fighting zombies by another name, mindless creatures who wished only their destruction. What a bad spot of luck this was. "I only wish that I wasn't so limited in what I could do. Creating a cure would be way more useful than fighting, but I don't have any idea where to start with an idea like that. And what about all the citizens here? Would it be more effective to teach them how to protect themselves than to fight on their behalf, or to feed them? Or should I be out there fighting to protect my classmates?" Raffina went on to muse aloud, just sort of floating her thoughts openly. It wasn't like her to ramble. One might surmise that she must feel more comfortable than usual. That last thought, however, seemed to give her cause for concern. ...Her classmates were putting her to shame! Freaking Lidelle of all people had saved her from her own personal hell on Li! And for some reason Amitie was brave enough to tell her how she really felt? Since when did Amitie not fear getting a good kick in the shorts? I mean hopefully Klug was still a wimp, but she hadn't even seen him, so what was she supposed to make of all this?

" . . . Speaking of my classmates, I never thought that I... was the coward out of all of us." Raffina went on to lament very reluctantly. She seemed torn yet resigned over that statement. It clearly hurt her pride to say such a thing, and yet she went out of her way to do so as if she'd simply resigned to this fate.

[Rina]

The creation of a cure will surely be a boon to everyone's benefit, but...where's the leads to that? Has there ever been reports to making such progress? Only ever so much a report on its behavior. And if the starvia ever breached the sphere, what of the common folk? There isn't nearly enough fighters to teach them self-defense. There's also the fact that some aren't even capable of committing to learning.

As he listened to her ramble to herself, he came to consider her thoughts.

"...You ask questions worth consideration, but without a definite answer. Research is seemingly at a standstill, and someone as I have no aptitude for the curative arts. Creating a self-defense regimen is also something rather ambitious. Not all of the citizens will follow through, nor do we have enough of us that can impart our knowledge."

And then there's that last part. Where does one draw the "cowardice" line?

"......How do you define cowardice?"

[Mari]

" . . . They're out there fighting for a better tomorrow while I sit here in the life sphere, trying to deal with the same problems I've always faced. Every day I'm put to shame." Raffina would very reluctantly reply, becoming rather emotionally detached from the situation. It was the only way she could ignore the complaints of her pride. "What else do you call it when your nine-year-old classmate ventures out to save you from your own personal nightmare but you can't even tell your rival how you feel about them?" Raffina replied somewhat anxiously. What was even the point? She already knew what Amitie really thought of her behind that smile of hers. A part of her suspected Amitie must have felt that way for a long time. How else could she explain the way she'd abruptly snapped at her like that? It must have been building up over every single time they'd fought, boiling to a breaking point when she'd accidentally insulted Lidelle.

...She'd never really thought that Amitie's opinion of her would really ever matter, but somehow being taken away from her cushy life on Primp and being put in this awful world where she couldn't be independent anymore had changed her perspective on life. The other's words haunted her, try as she might to forget them. All of this raised some rather important questions about who she was and what her future was, questions she didn't want to hear the answer to. " . . . I guess I never really knew them as well as I thought I did." Raffina went on to muse aloud rather thoughtfully, returning emotionally to the conversation. She wasn't used to thinking about these things. She'd run away from Amitie after arriving at the life sphere because she just couldn't bear to have that conversation with the other, and it wasn't enormously easier having it with herself.